- Date:2020-09-08
- Department:Evaluation Management Division
In response to the new added substance, dicofol, listed by United Nations Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (hereinafter referred to as the Stockholm Convention), the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA)announces dicofol as the lists of Class I and Class III toxic chemical substances, also revises the existing management regulations of toxic chemical substances, including perfluorooctanoic acid(PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid(PFOS), lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs), in order to strengthen the management of toxic chemical substances in our country.
EPA states that persistent organic pollutants have the characteristics of being difficult to decompose, long-distance migration and bioaccumulation, endangering the health of organisms. The United Nations then formulated the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants to eliminate, limit and reduce persistent organic pollutants, protecting human health and the living environment. In this announcement, dicofol, PFOA, its salts and related compounds, and PBDEs have all been listed in the Stockholm Convention Annex A (Elimination), PFOS and its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride have been listed in the Convention’s Annex B (Restriction). Through this convention, the United Nations also requires contracting states to ban the uses or restrict the production of such substances in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, unless the substance is registered by the contracting state for specific exemptions.
EPA points out that although the dicofol is mainly used in pesticides;PFOA, perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride, PFOS, and lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate are mostly used as surfactants; PBDEs are used as brominated flame retardants, but the usage of these chemicals in domestic industry are research, testing, and education. The condition of usage is simple and the impact is quite limited.
EPA emphasizes that after the announcement, no matter the transportation, manufacturing, import, sales, use, storage and other operations of the aforementioned substances, the operators should apply for permission (approval) within the time limitation and follow the content, in order to facilitate the flow of the substances. The prescribed matters are detailed in the attached table.
The announcement of this revision has completed the administrative procedures of public comment including drafts, discussion and negotiation, etc., in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. For details of the relevant information, please visit the EPA news section to download the file.
(https://enews.moenv.gov.tw/enews/fact_index.asp), which is also posted on The Executive Yuan Gazette Online (https://gazette.nat.gov.tw/egFront/) for reference.
